NAIROBI, Kenya- Deputy President Kithure Kindiki on Tuesday morning departed Nairobi for Entebbe, Uganda, where he is representing President William Ruto during the swearing-in and inauguration ceremony of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni at the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in Kampala.
In a statement issued shortly before departure from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Kindiki confirmed he would represent both Kenya and President Ruto at the high-profile regional event.
“Departed Nairobi for Entebbe, Uganda to represent Kenya and President William Ruto during the swearing in and inauguration of President Yoweri Museveni, Kololo Ceremonial Grounds,” Kindiki stated.
Museveni is beginning another five-year term after securing victory in Uganda’s January 2026 General Election.
The 81-year-old leader has now been in power for four decades, having first taken office in 1986 after leading the National Resistance Army rebellion that toppled the previous government.
According to official Ugandan election results, Museveni garnered 71.65 percent of the vote, defeating opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, who received 24.72 percent.
The inauguration ceremony at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds has attracted several African leaders, diplomats, and senior government officials from across the continent, underscoring Uganda’s strategic role within the East African Community and the wider Great Lakes region.
Former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta is also among the dignitaries attending the ceremony. Kenyatta arrived in Kampala on Monday and was received by Kenyan Ambassador Kipkosgei Toroitich and Ugandan officials ahead of the inauguration.
The trip marks one of Kindiki’s latest high-level diplomatic assignments since becoming Kenya’s Deputy President following the impeachment of Rigathi Gachagua in 2024.
Kindiki, a former Interior Cabinet Secretary and ex-Senate Majority Leader, has increasingly taken up regional representation roles on behalf of President Ruto’s administration.
Kenya and Uganda maintain close diplomatic and economic ties through the East African Community framework, with cooperation spanning trade, infrastructure, regional security, and cross-border investments.
Analysts expect bilateral discussions on regional peace, transport connectivity, and economic integration to dominate engagements on the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony.
Security was significantly heightened across Kampala ahead of the swearing-in, with Ugandan authorities deploying police and military officers in key installations and roads leading to the venue as thousands of guests streamed into the city for the ceremony.
